absolutely untouched the property stored at this place—­when anyone passing by could have stolen it and never have been detected—­should now be so ready to pilfer articles and utensils from the camp.  So many small things had been picked up and taken away by them, when coming to sell their beaver robes, that he was obliged to take some action.  So, before all these beaver-clad Amerindians had departed on their westward journey, he told the rearguard that he had noticed the thefts, and scarcely thought their relations who were guilty of stealing realized the awful mischief that would result from this dishonesty; that they were on their way now to the sea to procure large quantities of salmon from the rivers, but the salmon, which was absolutely necessary to their existence, came from the sea which belonged to the white men, and it only needed a message from the white men to the powers of nature to prevent the fish coming up from the sea into the rivers; and if this word were spoken they and their children might starve.  He consequently advised them to hurry after their friends, and see that all the stolen articles were sent back.  This plan succeeded.  The stolen articles were restored, and then Mackenzie purchased from these people several large salmon, and his party enjoyed a delicious meal.

Mackenzie declared that there were no bison to be found on the west side of the Rocky Mountains[15] (British Columbia), and no wolves.

[Footnote 15:  He was not quite accurate:  there were a few “wood” bison in the north and east of British Columbia.]

Resuming their journey up the Fraser River, they passed through the narrow gut between mountainous rocks, which on the outward journey had been a passage of some risk.  But now the state of the water was such that, they got up without difficulty, and had more time to examine these extraordinary rocks, which were as perpendicular as a wall, and gave the traveller the idea of a succession of enormous Gothic cathedrals.  With little difficulty they transported their canoe across the water parting to the Peace River.

As they began to glide down this stream, homeward bound, they noticed at the entrance of a small tributary an object which proved to be four beaver skins hung up to attract their attention.  These were the skins which had been given to Mackenzie as a present by a native as he travelled westwards.  Not wishing to add to his loads, he had left the skins behind, saying he would call for them on his return.  Mackenzie imagined, therefore, that, being under the necessity of leaving the river, this Indian had hung up the skins in the hope that they would attract the attention of the travellers on their return.  “To reward his honesty, I left three times the value of the skins in trade goods in their place.”  As the Peace River carried them away from the great mountains, and the plains extended before their sight, they stopped to repair the canoe and to get in supplies of food